Fall Walleye Index Netting Surve

The French River Stewardship Council with the assistance from the Ministry of Natural Resources was able to seek a grant to carry out a  Fall Walleye Index Netting (FWIN) program on the French River. The total budget committed to the program was in the amount of  $37,000.

The main objective of an index netting survey is to assess the relative abundance of a fish stock and provide other biological measures  or indicators of the target population’s status. Standard methods and protocols for the collection of biological information are  followed. Biologists randomly select sampling sites, overnight sets of multi-mesh gillnets are put in place, done in the fall when surface  water temperature is between 15°C and 10°C, set duration 24 hours at a depth of 2 to 5 metres and 5 to 15 metres.

Field procedures involve setting the nets, lift the nets the following day, processing the catch, and record the data. Post field activities  involve processing the collected fish tissues; data management and biological information is recorded followed by a detailed report.  The report is expected to be completed by mid-2014 along with its recommendations.

The survey of the netting program was done on the French River North Channel waterbodies i.e. Wolseley Bay, Eighteen Mile Bay,  Ranger Bay, Cow Bay, Meshaw Falls and Hartley Bay.

We wish to thank Hartley Bay Marina, Moonlight Bay Cottages, Ministry of Natural Resources and the biologists for their contribution for the study.

The French River Stewardship Council will endeavour to inform the public and make plans for a public meeting early summer 2014 with a presentation by the MNR biologist.